This invention relates to dollys, hand trucks, carts, wagons and other wheeled vehicles useful for moving large appliances (refrigerators, stoves, washing machines, et cetera), heavy cylindrical objects (bottled water bottles, gas cylinders, et cetera), packing boxes, crates, boxed merchandise, books, firewood and other stackable items and for hauling various types of loose materials such as soil, gravel, coal, apples, trash and what not.
It is known to use two-wheeled hand dollys to move large objects such as refrigerators, stoves, large boxes and the like. The object is tipped forward slightly, the spade member of the dolly is placed under the object and the object is lowered onto the spade member. The object and the upright dolly frame are then tipped back so that most of the weight of the object is carried by the wheels of the dolly. The object may then be wheeled to a desired destination.
It is also known to use special hand dollys for moving relatively large and heavy cylindrical objects such as beer kegs, filled bottled water bottles, oxygen cylinders, acetylene gas cylinders, and the like. These dollys are provided with side walls set at angles to provide an angular cargo space. These side walls prevent the cylindrical object from rolling off the dolly.
Various kinds of hand trucks and carts are used in factories, warehouses, offices and sometimes homes for purposes of moving items from one location to another. These hand trucks and carts come in different sizes and shapes, depending on the nature of the commodities to be moved.
For outdoor work and yard work, it is sometimes necessary to move loose materials such as soil, gravel, trash and the like. Carts and wagons used for this purpose generally have sidewalls and closed bottoms for containing the loose material.
In order to accommodate a number of different situations, it is sometimes necessary to employ two or more different kinds of dollys, hand trucks, carts, wagons and the like. In such cases, it would be advantageous to have a single vehicle which could be easily converted from one type of use to another. In particular, it would be desirable to have one basic vehicle that can be modified to haul almost any kind of item or material.
The present invention provides a heavy-duty all-terrain convertible hauler unit which can be easily converted into an upright-type hand dolly or into a horizontal-type cart or hand truck. This hauler unit includes an elongated chassis having first and second ends and first and second sides. A dolly-type load-support spade is attached to the first end of the chassis and extends outwardly from the first side of the chassis. A pair of relatively large diameter rubber-tired wheels are mounted on the chassis near the first end of the chassis on the second side of the chassis. A handle member may be mounted at the second end of the chassis when the hauler unit is used as an upright-type hand dolly. This handle member may instead be mounted on the load-support spade in a vertical position when the hauler unit is used as a horizontal-type cart. A wheel assembly is mounted in the center of the chassis near the near the second end of the chassis on the second side of the chassis when the hauler unit is used as a horizontal-type cart. This wheel assembly comprises a third relatively large diameter rubber-tired wheel and a swivel mechanism for connecting this third wheel to the chassis in the center of the chassis near the second end thereof.
For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further advantages and features thereof, reference is made to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the scope of the invention being pointed out in the appended claims.